Process of obtaining potash salts from feldspar.



UNITED ZATENT OFFICE.

FIRMAN THOMPSON, OF NEWARK; DELAWARE.

' PROCESS OF OBTAINING POTASH SALTS FROM FELDSPAR.

No Drawing. I

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 13 1911 Application filed February 14, 1911. Serial No. 608,610.

To all whom it may concern:

Be 1t known that I, FIRMAN THOMPSON,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of- Newcastle and State of Delaware, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of Obtaining Potash from Fcldspar, of

which theifollowingis a specification.

This invention relates to the production of potash, and has particular reference to the recovery of potash from feldspar rock.

In the practice of my process in its preferred form, feldspar rock is first ground to pass through a one hundred mesh sieve. The powdered rock is then mixed with an alkali metal acid sulfate and an alkali metal chlorid, preferably sodium aid sulfate and sodium chlorid, the materials being preferably mixed in the following proportions Feldspar rock' 5 Sodium acid s11lfate Sodium chlorid 1 .8

I have found that my process can be successfully carried out by using potassium acid sulfate and potassium chlorid in place of so-- dium acidv sulfate and sodium chlorid. I have also found that, while the proportions given have generally yielded the best results in that practically all of the chlorid is re moved and the acid sulfate ractically all converted into the normal sulfiite, these proportions may be widely varied.

The mixture produced as specified is heated for from one to two hours at a bright red heat, becoming thereby partially fused. The mass is then allowed to cool, ground again and leached with water, which removes a mixture of sulfates of sodium and potassium. These salts are then separated by crystallization.

The reactions vthich take place in the practice of the process are believed to be as follows :-(a) The sodium aciil sulfate parts by weightreacts with the sodium chlorid to produce upon by more of the acid sodium sulfate,

producing hydrochloric acid gas and potassium sulfate.

No rigid formula can be given to the potash feldspars and it is not possible to write exact chemical equations for the reactions which occur. The reactions which are be;

lieved to take place where the reagents speci;

tied. are used, can, however, be. generally represented as follows Potash feldspar-#NaCh:

Soda felds8ar+KCl agents and proportions employed in my process, it is to be understod that chemical equivalents. of such reagents may be employed. and the proportions in which they are brought -together, widely varied, within the spirit of my invention and without departing from the scope of the appended claims. I

Having thus described my-invention, I claim l. The herein described process of recovering potash from feldspar rock, which consists in reducing the rock to powdered form, mixing therewith an alkali metal acid sulfate and an alkali metal chlorid, heating the mixture,,and separating the soluble portion from the remaining portion of the mixture.

2. The herein described process of recovering potash from feldspar rock, which consists in reducing the rock to powdered form, mixing therewith an alkali metal acid sulfate and an alkali metal chlorid, heatin' ,the mixture to a bright red heat, cooling the mixture, reducing it to powdered form, and leaching with water.

3. The herein described process of recovering potash from feldspar rock, which consists in reducing the rock to powdered form, mixing therewith an alkali metal acid sulfate and an alkali metal chlorid in the approximate proportions'of' five parts of the feldspar rock, five parts of the alkali metal acid sulfate, and one and eight. tenths parts of the alkali metal chlorid, heating the mix ture to a bright .red heat, allowing the mass to cool, reducing the mass to powder, and leaching with water.

4:. The herein described process of I'COV oring potash from feldspar rock, which consists in reducing the rock to powdered form,

mixing therewith an alkali metal acid sulfate and an alkali metal ehloi idfheating the.

sodiuni'chl o fid;heatingthe mixture; cooling 1 mixing therewith sodium a sulfate a nd mixture, leaching with water toreinove the? the mixture,"reducing the'same to powdered resulting fiotas'siu n sulfate and sQdiunisulformg and-leaching with water. l fate, and separatmg the potassiumsulfate 8. The herein described processof recov- 5 and sodium sulfate.' Q h I I 'ering potash from felds ar rock, which con-'"BO 5. The herein described p 'ocess of recovsist s in reducing the roc to ewde'redmmi; eringipotashfrom felds ar rock, which conmixing therewith sodium acid sulfate andlsists in'reducing the-roe to powdered form, sodium chlorid heating the mixture, leach-i. mixing therewith an alkali metal acid 'suling the same wlth water, and separatin the 10 fate an'ti'janalkali metal'chlorid, heating the potassium sulfate from the sodium su fate, 35 mixtura'ldachifig-the same with'w'ate to re in the resulting solution.- 4 move-the fresultmg {potassium sulfate and -9. The herein described process ofmeq sodiutii sulfate from the mass, and separat-'. ering potash. from felds rock, which hqny in thepotassium sulfate-\frointhe sodium sists in reducing ,the'roc ,topowderedioifm,

15 su fate, l mixing thei ewlth sodium acid.- sulfate-and 40 '6. The hereindes'cribed process of rccovv sodium chlorid,-"heating the mixture 'to a ering potash from feldspai rqck,l'which con .bri ht red heat foi from" one totwo hour's, sists in reducing the rock to powdered form, .an leaching the same -with .'wat er. mixing therewith sodium acid' Sulfate and IR'fiGStimODY wherofl afiix my signature sodium Chiblid, heatingthe mixture, and in presence of twowituesses. J l ng with w -oa,, FIRMikN THCMlQSdfi 7. The herein described Plz cess frecovs a 7 ering potash from felds'ar rock, which cone Witnesses: v sists in reducing the me to powdered form, H. H. MORGAN, Jr.-, 25 .P. BASSE'IT. 

